Colonoscopy can help diagnose intestinal disorders
Preparing for colonoscopy requires you to eat laxatives
Colonoscopy procedure can last from 30 to 60 minutes
Colonoscopy is an examination that allows doctors to look inside your large intestine. The procedure is performed with the help of a flexible camera, attached to a tube called scope. Doctors may perform the colonoscopy procedure to look for diseases or abnormalities in your colon. Colonoscopy can also be performed to check for possible signs of colon cancer and identify any ulcers, irritated or swollen tissue. [1] Read on to understand more about colonoscopy procedure.
Additional Read: Types of Cancer
With a colonoscopy, doctors can identify the causes of your symptoms such as
Doctors also use this procedure as a screening tool to diagnose diseases with no symptoms or for prevention. This screening takes place specially for cancer and colon polyps. This helps identify diseases at an early stage, when there are better chances to recover from it.
Preparing for a colonoscopy requires you to change your diet to clean out your bowel, for which your doctor will guide you. Make sure you discuss with doctors your health problems, as well as supplements, OTC medicines and vitamins that you are taking including:
Your doctor will then provide you a written set of instructions to prep your bowel at home. This is done so that very little or no amount of stool remains in your intestine. This is important as if there is stool present in your intestine, it can prevent your doctor from being able to see the lining of the organ clearly.
Doctors may ask you to follow a liquid diet for 1 or 2 days before your procedure. Make sure you avoid purple or red colored gelatins or drinks. Your doctor will provide specific instructions on when to start and stop the liquid diet. The liquids that can be included in your diet are
Your bowel prep may also contain a combination of laxative pills or powders that you can swallow or dissolve in the clear fluids you are taking. This is likely to cause diarrhea so you don’t need to panic. The bowel prep is a very important part of the colonoscopy procedure and should be done exactly according to the guidance from your specialist [2].
Doctors perform this test in the hospital or at an outpatient center. Colonoscopy procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes. Healthcare professionals start of by placing an IV (intravenous) needle into your arm to give you anesthesia, sedatives or pain medicine. It ensures that you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. Then they will also check your vitals to make sure you are comfortable. For the procedure
During the procedure, if any polyps are found they will be removed and sent for a lab test. You will not feel it being removed as the area will be numb.
Additional Read: Lab Test Discount with Bajaj Finserv Health
Note the following things to do after your colonoscopy in done.
After you feel fine, your doctor will share the findings of your colonoscopy. If there were any polyps found or removed, you may experience light bleeding from the anus. The doctor will inform you the details from the start to the end of the procedure.
It is wise to get started with colonoscopy screening at the age of 45 to steer clear of any serious health issues. However, in case you have an existing intestine disorder, doctors may recommend a colonoscopy to you at a younger age. If you notice any symptoms after undergoing colonoscopy, consult your doctor immediately. For any concern, book an online consultation on Bajaj Finserv Health to get complete health solution at one place. You can also avail affordable health policies by browsing the Complete Health Solution plans under the Aarogya Care Health Insurance. What’s best is, prioritizing your health is now easier than ever!
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